Clothes-drier.



J. P.l HILL.

CLOTHES DRIRE. APPLICATION FILED PEB. 5, 1909.

962,147. Patented June 21, 1910.

Nil@ f2", .2f- 1 x". T .l

"Ilm nu, 25

JOSEPH P. HILL, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1910.

Application filed. February 5, 1909. Serial No. 476,336.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH P. HILL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Vorc-ester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Clothes-Driel", of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a clothes drier of the type in which thedrying chamber is provided with longitudinally movable racks adapted tobe drawn out of one end or side of the chamber and having rack frontsadapted to close that end or side when the racks are moved into theirinnermost position. As such driers are usually constructed,

the guide rod for each rack is guided in a slot or notch in a barsupported by an angleiron at the bottom of the opening which is closedby the rack fronts and consequently the only adjustment which can bemade is to have the slot or notch through which the guide rod passeslarge enough to permit the guide rod to have considerable lateral playwith respect to the bar. This is an unsatisfactory arrangement becauseit prevents accurate guiding of the rack.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a simple,convenient and inexpensive construction whereby the guide rods can beadjusted readily and accurately without bending them or interfering withthe accuracy with which they guide the rack and without dismounting theparts of the device.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1is a perspective view of a clothes drier showing one of the rack frontsdrawn partly out. Fig. 2 is a plan on enlarged scale of t-he adjust-ingdevice. Fig. 3 'is a side elevation of the same showing the guide rod insection. Fig. 4 is an end elevation thereof. Fig. 5 is an elevation ofthe opposite side of the frame with the roller omitted, and Fig. 6 is aplan of a portion of the supporting plate.

The invention is shown as applied to a type of clothes drier comprisinga drying chamber 10 having a plurality of series of racks 11. Each ofthese racks is shown, as is well understood in this art, as beingprovided with a rack front 12 and a guide rod 13 and also with a roller14 supported by a hanging rod 15. It will be understood of course thatthe arrangements above described can be varied within wide limits andthey are illustrated herein merely to show how the invention can beapplied to one type of drier.

The rack fronts are designed to fill an opening at one end or side ofthe drying chamber when they are pushed in and in practice it has beenfound not very easy to make these parts so that they will all fit into`position readily to close the wall of the dryangle-iron 16`which isusually employed at the bottom of the opening. On account of 'this ithas been customary to bend the rod slightly when necessary in order tomake the rack fronts lit in position. This tends to make them work withmore difficulty and `it 1s injurious to the mechanism as will readily beunderstood.

In order to overcome these difficulties acangle-iron 16 each havingelongated slots 21 for the reception of the fastening bolts 22 at Veachend to permit the whole plate to be adjusted back and forth along thebottom of the opening. These plates are raised at the center andprovided with ways 23 therealong and with two elongated slots 24 betweenthem. When made of sheet metal these ways are stamped out integrallywith the remainder of the plate and project from its upper surface. Onthem rest two sheet metal frames 25 each having grooves 26 in its bottomfitting the ways. These frames are of a U-shaped form and a verticalshaft or bolt 27 projects down through each from the top and extendsthrough one of the slots 24 and is adapted to be secured in position atthe bottom by a nut 28. It will be seen that each shaft is provided witha shoulder at the bottom for engaging the bottom of the frame 25 so thatthe nut will securely fix it in osition at that point without bindingthe rol er against the frame. These shafts support guide rollers 29which are loosely mounted on the shaft.

When the parts are set up the plate 20 is rst placed in about properposition and the two rolls 29 are then adjusted up to the guide rod 13until they are at a proper distance apart and then they are fastened in4,cording to the present invention, a series of J .sheet metal plates 20are mounted on the i' 2Q carrying the two rollers is moved .in either Edirection so as to bring both rollers in proper position with respect tothe guide rod to guide the rack front accurately into the properposition with respect to the otherl rack fronts. In this way a veryaccurate adjustment is secured and one which can be changed very easilyat any time in case of warping or other injury to the parts. I

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment Aof theinvention and shown it as applied to a `particular type l"of clothesdrier, I am aware that many modiications can be made in the constructionshown and described and that it can be applied to many other types of'clothesdriers without `departing from the scope of the invention :as'expressed in theclaims. Therefore, Ido not wish to =be limited totheparticular type of vldrier shown or 'to the particular form of details'illustrated and described., but

What I do claim isz- 1. In va `clothes drier, the 'combination with adrying chamber, of racks slidable in and out of the chamber, rack fronts-on the 'ends ofthe racks adapted to close one wall y'of the chamber, aguide rod for each rack connected with the rack front, a frame mountedon the ydrying chamber adjustable transversely with respect to the guiderods, and two rollers carried by vsaid frame for `engaging the roppositesides of, and guiding, said guide rod, said rollers being eachindividually adjustable ion the plate transversely with respect to theguide rods.

'-2. In 4a Aclothes drier, the combination of a drying chamber, a seriesof racks therein each havinga rack front, and a guide rod, a pluralityof plates mounted on the drying chamber and adjustable transversely withrespect to the guide rods, a pair of frames supported by each plate andadjustable therealong, and a roller carried by each frame in contactwith the guide rod.

3. In a clothes drier, the combination of a drying chamber, allongitudinally lreciprocable rack guide lrod, a sheet lmetal framesupported by the drying 'chamber and ad justable along the wall of ithesame, said frame having ways on `the top thereof, a pair of sheet metalframes having 7grooves ttingfsaid ways and resting thereon, means forsecuring said lframes in adjusted position along said ways,1and rollerscarried b said frames for engaging the opposite si es of, and guiding,the rod.

4. In a clothes drier, the combination of a drying chamber, alongitudinally reciprocable rack guide rod, a sheet metal framesupported by the ydrying chamber and adjustable along the wall of thesame, said frame having ways on the top thereof, 4a sheet metal `framefitting said ways and resting thereon, lmeans for securing said frame inadjusted position along said ways, and a roller carried by said framefor engaging and guiding the rod.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto `set my hand, :in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH P. HILL. Witnesses:

ALBERT E. FAY, C. Fomms'r WEssoN.

